The Sweetness of Enemies
by AvataraElements
Summary: **Currently DISCONTINUIED!** In the days before Zuko was banished from the fire nation, he was friends with a young phesant servant that had blue eyes and was from a water tribe. When the two meet again, what will happen? A Zutara story.
1. The Girl with the Blue Eyes

The Sweetness of Enemies

A very long time ago, when Zuko was just a young boy, the palace life was soothing to the prince's mind. He would spend his days sending punches at his opponents in the training ring and walking the grounds with his mother. He liked how the trees swayed in the wind and how the water rippled softly when his mother touched its glassy surface.

Many servants scurried around the grounds doing a many odd number of things. Zuko never paid these swift moving pheasants much attention, except for one. She was a little girl with bright blue eyes that was two years younger than him. On occasion the two would meet up in the gardens and share stories. The young girl was from a water tribe but he never really knew witch one it was as she disappeared one day only leaving a scrap of paper saying goodbye. Her father, who had been forced to make weapons for the fire lord in order to keep himself and his daughter alive, left the same day. Zuko never even caught the girl's name, not once.

Soon, though, the tasks and difficulties of being a growing heir to the thrown clouded his memory of her and he began to forget about her. But, one thing that he always saw when he closed his eyes at night was a pair of two blue eyes that looked as if they were two pieces of sky that had fallen in place around black pupils. The image was always just on the inside of his eyelids and it never grew faint.

Katara and her father headed out of the palace that night after she had scribbled a not to the young prince in the paper packaging of a pound of sugar. As they made their way to the water where a canoe awaited them, she kept on looking back at the palace and the open window of the prince's room. She would miss playing with the boy, he was so pleasant to walk with and he always had good games in mind that they could play in the gardens.

"Dad, can we come back and see the fire prince again someday?" she murmured to her father.

Hakoda nodded, "Someday you will see the fire Prince, Zuko again. Look forward to that day, my little Katara.

Katara smiled and lifted her skirts as she stepped into the boat and Hakoda pushed off. I would be three weeks until they reached the South Pole and their home.


	2. The Journey Home

The Journey Home

Hakoda laughed then began to sing a water tribe song.

_Ohh, sing me a song of water and ice_

_Let me hear the seals sound their war cry,_

_As I float home on a burg of ice._

_Oh ye water tribe home_

_I shall see you yet again,_

_And I will bask in your glorious iciness!_

Katara giggled as her father droned on in his smoky signing voice. She was gazing into the water and focusing on the little chunks of ice that swirled by whenever Hakoda stroked the water with the broad paddle made of the breastbone of a giant arctic seal. Soon she began to wave her hands over the waters surface so she could watch their reflection as it was shattered when a piece of ice floated by.

All of a sudden she noticed an opening feeling within her and as she lifted her hands away from the water the water swelled and a large ball followed he hand up into the air. Katara gasped then chuckled at the tickling sensation that the water gave her.

"What are you giggling about back there?" Hakoda asked, breaking Katara's concentration. The ball of water fell and splattered on an ice sheet that was passing by.

"Dad, how do you know if someone is a waterbender?"

"Well," Hakoda started in a tone that said that the answer was quite obvious, "if someone can control water with their body then they can waterbend. Um…why do you ask, Katara?"

"I…um-just pulled a ball of water right out of the ocean. I was just focusing on the water and the reflection of my hands and then it felt like a river of energy just broke through a dam inside of me. I lifted by hands and the water followed them. Is something wrong with me?"

Hakoda turned around to look at his daughter in surprise. "Katara, my daughter, you have the ability to waterbend. You are the only one in the South Pole, as far as I know. That 'river' that opened up inside of you was a chakra, the flow of energy t hat a bender has. The South Pole hasn't seen a waterbender for many generations. Your mother will be thrilled!"

Katara sat back and thought about her father's explanation: _I am a waterbender? What do I do with waterbending? How will I learn it, who will teach me?_

Her thoughts were cut off when Hakoda cried "Land Ho, were home!" Katara decided that she would talk to her mother about this, but later. Now it was time to celebrate being home.

The shore drew closer and closer until she places her hand on the soft snow. Hakoda leaned down and pulled Katara out and placed her on the ground. The village was alive and people were poking their heads out of their huts. All of a sudden and blue and grey blur plowed into the young girl with a cry of delight.

"Katara! Katara!" It was Sokka. Katara looked up into her older brother's face laughed when she saw the black and grey war paint smear with tears. She hugged him and smiled over his shoulder, "Hello, big brother."

Sokka pulled Katara away from him and held her at arms length to look her over.

"You haven't changed one bit!" he exclaimed before he hugged his little sister again. A soft voice called out, then, from the door of a middle sized hut.

"Mother?" Katara looked up and upon seeing her mother's face in the doorway of their hut, let go of Sokka and ran into her mother's arms with a cry, "Mother!"

"Katara, my daughter, your home and how I have missed you so!" She stroked her daughter's long soft hair.

"Mom, I have to tell you something." The girl looked up with her blue eyes and opened her mouth to say more, but her mother silenced her.

"Whatever you have to tell me can wait a few minuets, my dear. Why I have yet to greet your father!" Katara nodded and let her mother go to Hakoda.

"Hakoda." She said as she nestled her head into Hakoda's neck.

"Manami." Hakoda kissed his wife's cheek. Then the two began to walk inside.

Inside the hut Katara pulled at her mother's blue silk sleeve. "Mom, can Ii talk to you now?"

"Sure."

"When I was in the canoe with dad…well…I kind of was looking at the water, focusing on it, and I lifted my hands up over it. A ball of water separated from the ocean and lifted under my hand. Right before this I felt a river inside of me open up and begin to flow. Dad said that it was a chakra and that I am a waterbender…the only waterbender in the South Pole." Her mother's eyes widened in surprise.

"Come," Manami took Katara's hand and lead her outside, "you must show me this waterbending." Katara knelt down by the waters edge and focused on the glossy smooth surface. She lifted her hands and breathed in deeply. As her hands rose up the water began to lift with them until a ball of water hovered just below her palm. Katara turned her hand over and bounced the water back and forth between both of her hands then pushed it back down into the ocean barely making any ripples on the surface. She then turned to look at her mother who had a very awed face.

"Then Hakoda speaks the truth, you are a waterbender."

"Mom, what ho I do with waterbending?" Katara's mother shook her head.

"I don't know, Katara. I will have to speak with your father about this further to decide what will happen." Manami placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder and smiled. "I am very proud of you, my little waterbender."

Katara smiled and squeezed Manami's hand as they stood and walked toward the hut and the smell of seal meat stew mixed with the sound of laughter.


	3. War Comes to the South Pole

War Comes to the South Pole

Katara woke up to the sound of screaming and the smell of burning animal hides. She looked around the hut to find that she was alone. A woman screamed just outside the hut then Katara heard a loud thump suggesting that a body had hit the ground. Her face drained as she realized what might be happening. Swiftly she jumped out of her sleeping sack and rushed to the door. Her hands pulled back the flaps shakily and suppressed a cry when her eyes met the sight of the village.

Fire nation solders…everywhere. Smoke rushed into the hut and filled Katara's lungs, making her gag.

"Kataraaa!" a voice screamed, a woman's voice. Katara shoved the door flaps aside and ran out into the turmoil. She looked around desperately for the person who had screamed her name. She spun around to see her mother in the clutches of a fire nation soldier. He was holding her to the ground with his foot and had his fist up in the air, ready to deal her the final blow. Manami had already bean burnt and Katara could see the blood seeping through the burnt holes in her dress.

"Mom!" she cried as she rushed towards the soldier. Not even realizing what she was doing, Katara glanced at the water then summoned up all of her might. A long snake of water burst out of the ocean and Katara brought it down upon the red clad uniform. The soldier was knocked down and gave a surprised and rather confused cry. Katara grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her up. She let Manami lean on her shoulder as they limped to the hut as fast as their feet would take them. With luck, the red soldier did not follow as he found himself occupied with an extremely angry Hakoda.

Katara laid her mother on the soft fur covered floor of their hut. She snatched the bowl of drinking water over Manami's largest wound, which was bleeding out more and more blood by the minuet. As Katara pressed her hands over the burn her mother's hands weakly brushed then away.

"Mother, we have to stop the bleeding! I need to fix you!" Katara cried as tears began to stream down her face.

"No…Katara,…I am…beyond…living." Manami uttered between ragged breaths.

"Mom, no, I have to stop the blood. I am going to make you better! I-"

"Shhh, my darling." Manami pressed her hand to Katara's lips, silencing her. Then, wasting no time she lifted her head and reached back to untie the necklace that Katara had always seen in her mother's neck. She pulled it off and took Katara's hand. "Here,…this is…yours now." She placed the pendant in the girl's hand and closed her fingers around it. "I will always be with you,…my…little…waterbender." Manami's hand fell from Katara's and her half lidded eyes fluttered closed. Her chest rose and settles one last time, then her body went still.

"No!...Mother, wake up!" Katara shook her mother's arm and hot tears splashed on her hands. "Waakkee uup, mom! When Manami did not move Katara bowed her head and rested it on her mother's stomach, not caring if the blood soaked into her hair and smeared over her forehead. Tears began to mix with blood and Katara cried out, sobbing with every inch of her body.

A long time passed and Katara heard the cries of triumph as the fire navy's ships fled from the angry village warriors in defeat. She lifted her head and let out a sob when she saw her mother's lifeless face. Katara stood up and left her mother's body alone in the hut. She stumbled out into the blinding whiteness to find her father and brother.

Hakoda looked up from a wounded soldier to see Katara walking toward him. Her face was stained with tears and blood streaked across her forehead. He stood and rushed to her.

"Katara, what's wrong. Are you hurt?" Hakoda touched her forehead. Katara's face scrunched up as a whole new wave of tears began to flow forth from her tear ducts. "Mom…," she squeaked. Hakoda's face suddenly turned to a shocked expression.

"Where's you mother?" he asked in a serious tone, "Katara, is your mother o.k?"

Katara shook her head from side to side. Hakoda quickly stood up and rushed to their hut. Katara stood there in silence. A bewildered cry sounded from the hut and Katara walked to the door and opened the flaps. Hakoda was kneeling on the ground, Manami in his arms. Tears streamed down his face as her rocked back and forth. Katara slipped in, avoiding looking at her mother's limp form. She lie down on her sleeping role and cried silently. Then she remembered the necklace. Katara sat up and wrenched her hand open, dried blood cracking and flaking away. The pendant shined like soft tears had been used to make the glaze on its flawless blue surface. Her hands smoothed out the ribbon and lifted it up to her neck. The heavy weight of it on her throat felt reassuring, like Manami was still with her. Carefully she tied the blue satin ribbon at the back of her neck then fingered the pendent. '_I will always be with you, my little waterbender.'_ Katara smiled then let the tears flow freely. She lay down again and cried.


	4. A Disowned Prince

Banishment

Zuko slipped his armor over his red tunic. His hair fell loosely about his shoulders and he puffed a breath of air at a loose strand to get it out of his face. A servant tied on the armor and tightened hid sash. Zuko took his hair ribbon from a servant and pulled his dark locks up into a ponytail and rapped the red satin around and around so his hair would stand strait out in the back. A short wisp of hair brushed against his forehead and he pushed it into place, but it just fell fight back down. As soon as the armor was secured on his figure he left his quarters to find his uncle.

He found Iroh in the gardens playing Pi Shou with the general Joushi and drinking tea. He started to walk toward the two men but a voice called his name from behind a bush.

"Zuzu!" It was Azula. Zuko sighed with annoyance as he turned to face his older sister. _"Does she make it her blasted job to always get in my way?'_

"Hey, Zuzu, I thought that we could go spy on father, and maybe we could get you into the war room. I hear that they are discussing tactics today. Interested?" She smirked.

All of Zuko's annoyance was gone now. He could get into the war chamber. He was not yet old enough (according to his father) but maybe he could get in for just a little while. He was sure ready to. "Okay." He said, falling right into her trap.

As soon as the two siblings reached Ozai's throne room Zuko began to shiver a bit. His father had always seemed to be very cold towards his son and no matter how much Zuko tried to get close to his father, Ozai pushed away.

Azula pushed the doors open and smirked as her younger brother stepped into the inside hallway that was lit with red and orange flickering lanterns. Azula then put her hand up to her forehead.

"Oh, Zuzu, I have forgotten that Mai is al alone in the gardens, I have to go and kick some sense into the bored girl. I'll be back in a moment." When she saw Zuko's eyebrow lift she continued, "You go on in without me."

"Fine." He murmured. In fact he kind of liked it that he now had a chance to go alone. He shrugged and trudged down the hall too the door of the throne room. Two guards stood in the doorway and as soon as Zuko's boot crossed the threshold, they flung out their spears and prevented him from entering the room. He scrunched up his nose and scowled, "Let me _in_!"

Iroh had come in from the gardens to make more tea. He noticed his nephew barking at the guards and set down the tea tray. "Zuko, what is the problem?" he called.

An angry Zuko turned around, "I want to go into the war room. I am ready, but these guards," he pointed an accusing finger at them "won't let me through."

Iroh looked at his nephew. "Zuko, nothing that goes on in that room is very interesting. You won't miss much, trust me."

Zuko looked at his uncle, "But don't you think that if I will one day rule the Fire Nation I should begin to learn these things I want to know how to defend my people and how to become a great leader."

Iroh sighed and scratched his head, "Alright, Prince Zuko, but you must not speak…some of these old generals are a little derogatory." He whispered with a slight chuckle. He drew is arm around his nephew's shoulders and nodded to the guards who let their weapons down as they entered. The room was warm and a blast of hot air blew across Zuko's face. There was a large map on the floor and a dozen generals sitting on cushions that were arranged on the edges of the tiny battlefield. Many aged eyes looked up to acknowledge his presence but no words were spoken.

Zuko sat down cross-legged on a cushion next to the old general. There was silence for a while until a tall man, which Zuko knew to be the commanding General of all of the fire nation's army, stood up and bowed, "Fire Lord, we all come before you today to show you a strategy that will help us gain access to the Earth Kingdome." The flames that hid Ozai's body from view flared as if to accept what the tall man had said and the general continued, now looking at all the generals that surrounded the map. "We can get in by using the 41st division as a distraction. Then we will come up behind and ambush!"

Another old man spoke then, "But the 41st division will not be able to fight that soon. They are not yet fully trained."

"They don't need to be able to fight, they are just a distraction-they are fresh bait." The tall general replied with a slick smile on his lips. Zuko shot up forgetting what his uncle had said about not speaking.

"You are going to betray those young soldiers and send them into a hopeless battle…as bait? These are warriors that love and honor our nation!" he argued. Iroh groaned inwardly.

The tall general frowned smugly and opened his mouth to shoot a foul response back but before the word could reach the tip of his lips the fire on the throne flared. Zuko slowly turned to look at the silhouette of his father in the flames. Suddenly realizing that he had indeed spoken out of term, the young prince flung himself to the floor in a desperate bow. "I am sorry father."

"Prince Zuko, you dare to speak out against a high ranking general. You must settle this. With an Agni Kai." A low and powerful voice bellowed through the flames. Zuko looked at the old general and smirked. _This should be easy, I am already more skilled than he is and my body is younger_ the young prince thought. "I accept!" he cried. He then turned his back on the fiery throne and exited the large chamber.

The candles burned, their moist wax dripping and their feeble flames wavering in the taught atmosphere. Zuko stretched his muscles out as he paced around his room. The firm strength rippled gracefully through his muscles as he pulled on his ceremonial cloak and tightens the waistband one last time before he took a huge breath of air in then parted the door flaps and stepped out.

The arena was crowded with family, friends, anyone that was important to the royal family. Zuko strutted up upon the stage, pride presented on his chest like a metal. Slowly he crouched and readied himself for what he was sure was going to be an easy and fairly quick duel. The crowd suddenly became silent as Zuko's opponent stepped onto the platform. The side of Zuko's mouth curled slightly into a smile and he set determination into his heart. The air swooshed by his face and glided over his muscles as he stood up. As he turned, the robe slipped from his shoulders and drifted silently to the prince's feet.

Zuko's face suddenly froze as he looked at the opposing figure, who was shrouded in shadow. The color in his face drained and fear flashed across his eyes as he realized that the man he was dueling was…his own father, the Fire Lord Ozai! As if every muscle had simply gone limp, Zuko fell to the floor in a desperate bow.

"Father…I'm sorry that I spoke out against you. Please! I will never do it again! I don't want to fight you-I am you most loyal son! Please, father!" the prince begged for mercy.

"Prince Zuko, You will fight for your honor and your throne! Stand and FIGHT!" Ozai growled sternly. Zuko bowed lower.

"I only had good intentions for the fire nation at heart!" he said to the Fire Lord's feet.

"Prince Zuko, you will learn respect," Ozai paused and poised his hand in the air, "and suffering will be your teacher!" Zuko looked up, tears streaming down his face. He looked at his father and begged with all his heart through his eyes. But, he was to no avail. Ozai clenched his fist and struck. A huge ball of fire crackled through the air and rushed with greedy flames at Zuko's face. He tried to move his head out of the way, but the fire hit the right side of his face-his right eye. Zuko cried out in pain and the sound echoed around the room again and again as if it was trying to show his despair to the world. A large figure in the crowd closed his eyes and turned away from the horrible scene of his nephew's tragedy.

The young prince slumped to the floor, unconscious, the right side of his face marred and bleeding. Ozai turned his back on his son and walked back into the shadows, not even giving Zuko a backwards glance. At that moment he disowned his son and left him for dead.

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I need to reconize nickalodeon for some of those lines.

Please Reviw if u read cause reviews help to inspire me! Thanks!!!! LOL!!!!!

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